Automatic steering device for bean picking machines



AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR BEAN PICKING MACHINES Filed April 1, 1948 J. w.' WARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1952 z 'w I E 2 M m m a w I Q BY %zwh Sept. 16, 1952 w, WARD 2,610,562

AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR BEAN PICKING MACHINES Filed April l, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F% 58 m 5 5a r i 56 IN V EN TOR.

sept- 1952 J. w. WARD 2,610,562

AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR BEAN PICKING MACHINES Filed April 1, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q n ,f It 1 m 0% ID a K; M

INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 mm oFFI 3 v .2,610,5e2 AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR BEAN 1 1 PICKING MACHINES I John W. ward, vet-nan, N. assignaimvsrd Y T Canning Company, Vernon, N. .Y .,1a'partnership Application Aprill,1948, SerialNo.18;335

' My invention relates to an automatic steerin deviceforabean picking machine. I

' The object of the invention is to provide an automatic steering device for a bean picking {machine such as described more particularly in a co-pending application of Leila B. S. Ward filed in the Patent Oifice on the 12th day of February,zl948,t Serial Number 7,830. This device is'designed to keep'theiront wheels of the-bean picker in line with the rows of bean vines;

;Heretofore stones or othero'bstructions inthe lineof the front wheels of the bean picker di- 'verted said-wheels from a direct path. To overc'ozne this objection is the purpose DI the present v on-f1 c A. I LThe' object. will be 'nnderstood by referring to the drawings in which Fig. l isj' affragmentaryview of the iront part of the frame of a bean picker with the automatic means for steering the wheels applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a detail view enlarged showing a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. 'Fig. 3 is a detail view enlarged showing a vertical section of a valve and casing employed in h v C -Y a Fig. 4 is a' detail view-enlarged similar to';the

6 Claims. (01. 97-49) view of Fig. 3 showing'thevalve at right angles to itsposition illustrated inFiggB.

* Fig. dis a diagra'mmatidview of the oilpressure system employed. I

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 is the front part of the frame of a bean pickingmachine comprising a cross angle iron I supported "at opposite ends by angle irons 2, 3 and 4. Angle irons 2,8 and 4 are welded to cross horizontal angle iron I.

I A bar 6 is attached to one side of angle iron 'F-by'bolts l. Outstandingspaced lugs8, 8 'havfing journals 9, 9 are formed integral'with bar 6 and are located adjacent one end thereof.

A shaft 10 held in place by cotter pins ll, 11 is projected through journals 9, 9 and also through tongue l2 which turns freely thereon. A bearing [3 is formed integral with the outer free end of tongue l2. A shaft M is carried in bearing [3 and held therein by cotterpins l5, 15 disposed th'erethrough at either end thereof. 'Shaft I4 projects through aligned apertures in the upper bar l6 and lowerbar ll of clevis l8 and allows the clevis [8 to turn thereon.

A pin l9 is'usedjwi'th clevis l8 to hook the bean picker to the rear end of a tractor.

"picker contemplates a'yoke 29 welded tot-he lower The means for turning clevis IS on its shaft 14"," whereby to. automatically steer the bean frame bar H of clevis 18. The opposite free ends of yoke '20 are pivoted at 21,2 2 to the bifurcated ends of piston "rods 23*and24 by pins held inplace by cotter pins 255 Pistons 29, '26 are formed integral with each of the piston rods 23 and 24 and operate in cylinders 21, 28 which are disposed in parallel relationto each other-and to tongue' ll. v

' Moreover, each of the'cylinders 21 and 28 has rearwardly extendinga pair "of spaced lugs 29, 29 'forthe interposition oflug '30 extending laterally and formed integral with the sides of tongueIZ.

Lugs 29 are pivoted to log 30 by a shaft 3| held in place by cotter pins 32, whereby to allow said cylinders 21 and 28 to rock relative to tongue l2.

The-means for supplying oil or 'other motive power to cylinders'12'l and 28, whereby to actuate pistons 25} 26 therein, contemplates the fluid system; shown particularly'in Figp5' and coinprises a valve casing35having a bracket 36 fo'r bolting it to bar 6 at 31. -Valve casing 95 i'sconnected to cylinder 21 by flexible hose-'38 and to cylinder 28 by flexible hose 39. Hose 39 runs from port Ml oi valve casing '35 'to port 4| '01 cylinder- 21,'whereas hose 39 runsfrom port 42 of casing 35 'to' port 43 of cylinder 28'.- A hose 4-5 connects some source of supply 46 to port 41 "of valve casin'g '35; whereby'to supply fluid under pressure byfpu'mp 48 to casing 35. The return flexible hose 49 connects port 50 with saidsource of supplyAB. The'fiuid system has also a relief line 5| with a relief valve 52 therein and alsoa metering valve 53. n V The'means for co trolling the flower oil alternately to cylinders 21 and 28 embodies valve 5 mounted'to turn in cylindrical valve casing'35. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, valve'54 is in the form of a cylinder having shoulders at "55; 55 resting against the anti-friction members fifi, 56 housed in end members 51, '51-of'va'lve' casing '35; "Members 5-? are held to casing'35 by screw b0lts58. I "Valve 54 is formed in cylindrical rod 59 by cutting away the opposite sides thereof to leave a narrow connecting part, that will open passageways from port 41 to port 42 and port40 to port 5-0'when turned-to dotted line-position illustrated in Fig. '2 andclose said ports infull line position shown therein. Also when turned at rightangles -t0dotted line position it will open passageways toopenancl close'said ports, contemplates flexilole'b uilfer rods 60 and 6| which lie in ahorizonwith the top surface of tongue [2. 2 20:are used to hold shaft 2|! in place. Rod 2I5 has its other end attached to the chassis of the tal plane and at an angle to each other, whereby to converge towards the rear.

Rod 66 is projected through and welded to an aperture in the lower extended part -54' of valve 54, whereas rod 6! is mounted in a similar manner to the lower end of shaft 62.

Valve 54 also extends upward beyond end member v 51 to which is attached to turn therewith the sleeved part 63 of crank arm 64 by set bolt 65. Shaft 62 has a bearing in sleeve 66 and turns loosely therein.

Sleeve 66 has members 61, 61 which are welded to bar 6.

The sleeved part 68 of crank arm 69 is attached to and turns with the upper end of shaft 62 by set bolt 10. A tie rod 1| having bifurcated ends l2, I2 is fulcrumed at said ends to the free ends of crank arms 64 and 69 by pivot pins I3, 13 held in place by cotter pins 14. The movement of either buffer rod 60 or 6| will turn valve 54 relative to said ports in casing 35.

The means for automatically returning valve 54 to full line position illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby ports 41, 40 and 50 and 42 will be closed, embodies coiled springs 80 and BI mounted on tie rod 11. -Said springs 80 and 8! are separated by forks 82, 82 extending laterally from and formed integral with upstanding bracket 83 which is 'bolted at 84, 84 at its lower end to bar 6. Said forks 82, 82. span tie rod 1|. Adjustable collars -85, 85-are mounted on rod H and areheld in place by winged screws 86, 86. Said springs 80 and 8|. tend to hold tie rod H in neutral or full line position shown in Fig. 1.

, Tongue I2 is held in horizontal position by a ro'd 2l5 having a sleeve 2l6 for the projection of shaft-,2 I! that has bearings in upstanding parallelly disposed space rails 2 i8, 218 formed integral Cotter pins bean picker.

The operation of the device is effected when the said bean picker, not shown, moves through the rows of vines by the flexible buffer rods 66 and 6! coming'in' contact with the vines of said beans: 7 7

Assuming that rod 6| makes contact with an out of line row of vines to the right of the row, in this instance rod 6| will turn shaft 62 clockwise and thereby move the connected parts,

namely crank arm 69, tie rod H, crank arm 64 clockwise or to the right in Fig. 1. 1

' The movement of crank arm 69 will cause valve 54 to turn clockwise to open passageways from supply port 41 to port 42 of casing and also open the passageway from port to return port v of casing 35. This will allow the oil to entercylinder 28 to push piston 26 towards the front thereof and thereby piston rod 24 will push ion yoke 20 to rock clevis l8 clockwise or towards the left. At the same time the oil in cylinder 21 will escape back through hose 38 and from port 40 to returnto port 50. of casing 35 back through hose 43 to supply tank 46.

Immediately the bean picker has'returned to the reverse movement of. the aforesaid parts will occur to turn valve 54 to open passageways from supply port 41 to port 40 and from port 42 to return port 50 and hence the piston 26 in cylinder 2! will be moved forward to rock clevis I8 counter-clockwise to move the bean picker to the right. In this instance spring 8| being under tension will restore valve 54 to its closed position. It will be observed that as one of the pistons 26 goes forward under pressure of the fluid the other will retreat and vice versa.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is as follows:

1. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steer the machine when turned to one side or the other, piston rods pivotally connected to opposite sides of said yoke member, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons, a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure, a valve mounted in said casing, movement of said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cylinders and movement of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a pair of buffer rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a row of bean vines and to be moved outward by the bean vines when the relationship between the bean picking machine and the row of bean vines changes, and means connecting each of said buffer rods to said valve for moving said valve in one of two opposite directions upon outward movement of one or the other of said buffer rods, whereby movement of said buiTer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said. cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine.

2. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steerthe machine when turned to one side or the other, piston rods pivotally connected to opposite sides of said yoke member, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons, a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure, a rotary valve-mounted in said casing, rotation of said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cylinders and rotation of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a'pair of buifer rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a row of bean vines and to be moved outward by the bean vines when the relationship between the-bean picking machine and the row of beanvines changes, one of said buffer rods being connected to said valve for rotating 'said'valve in one direction upon outward movement of said buffer rod, and the other of said bufierrods being intermediatelyconnected to said valve for rotating said valve in the opposite direction upon outward movement of said other buffer rod, whereby movement of said buffer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine.

3. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steer the machine when turned toone side or the other, pistonrods pivotally connected to opposite sides of said yokemember, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons,

a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure, a rotary valve mounted in said casing, rotation of said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cylinders and rotation of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a pair of buffer rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a row of bean vines and to be moved outward by the bean vines when the relationship between the bean picking machine, and the row of bean vines changes, one of said buffer rods being connected to said valve for rotating said valve in one direction upon outward movement of said buffer rod, a tie rod connected at one end to said valve, a shaft connected to the opposite end of said tie rod and to the other of said buffer rods, whereby outward movement of said other buffer rod will rotate said valve in the opposite direction, whereby movement of said buffer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine, and springs associated with said tie rod for normally holding said valve in neutral position.

4. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steer the machine when turned to one side or the other, piston rods pivotally connected to 0D- posite sides of said yoke member, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons, a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure, a rotary valve mounted in said casing, rotation oi. said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cylinders and rotation of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a pair of buffer rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a row of bean vines and to be moved outward by the bean vines when the relationship between the bean picking machine and the row of bean vines changes, one of said buiier rods being connected to said valve for rotating said valve in one direction upon outward movement of said buffer rod, a crank arm connected to said valve, a tie rod connected at one end to said crank arm, a second crank arm connected to said tie rod at the opposite end thereof, and a shaft connected to said second crank arm and to the other of said buffer rods, whereby outward movement of said other buffer rod will retate said valve in the opposite direction, whereby movement of said buffer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine.

5. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steer the machine when turned to one side or the other, piston rods pivotally connected to opposite sides of said yoke member, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons, a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure,

a rotary valve mounted in said casing, rotation of said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cvlinders and rotation of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a pair of bufier rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a'row of bean vines and to be moved outward by the bean vines when the relationship'between the bean picking machine and the row of bean vines changes, one of said buffer rods being connected to said valve for rotating said valve in one direction upon outward movement of said buffer rod, a crank arm connected to said valve, a tie rod connected at one end to said crank arm, a second crank arm connected to said tie red at the opposite end thereof, a shaft connected to said second crank arm and to the other of said bufier rods, whereby outward movement of said other buffer rod' willrotate said valve in the opposite direction, whereby movement of said buffer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine, and springs associated with said tie rod for normally holding said valve in neutral position.

6. In an automatic steering device for a bean picking machine, a yoke member adapted to steer the machine when turned to one side or the other, piston rods pivotally connected to opposite sides of said yoke member, pistons mounted on said piston rods, cylinders housing said pistons, a valve casing having ports therein, conduits connecting said casing ports with said cylinders and with a source of fluid under pressure, a rotary valve mounted in said casing, rotation of said valve in one direction being adapted to open ports to supply fluid under pressure to one of said cylinders and rotation of said valve in the opposite direction to the other cylinder, a pair of buiier rods adapted to contact the opposite sides of a row of bean vines and to be movedoutward by the bean vines when the relationship between the bean picking machine and the row of bean vines changes, one of said buffer rods being connected to said valve for rotating said valve in one direction upon outward movement of said bufier rod, a crank arm connected to said valve, a tie rod connected at one end to said crank arm, a second crank arm connected to said tie rod at the opposite end thereof, a shaft connected to said second crank arm and to the other of said buffer rods, whereby outward movement of said other buffer rod will rotate said valve in the opposite direction, whereby movement of said buffer rods by the bean vines in the row admits fluid to one or the other of said cylinders to turn said yoke member and steer the machine, coil springs mounted on said tie rod, a member separating said springs, and collars mounted on said tie rod to hold said springs under compression, whereby said valve is normally held in neutral position.

JOHN W. WARD.

1 REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 876,623 Conner Jan. 14, 1908 1,710,232 Martin Apr. 23, 1929 1,980,553 Salisbury Nov. 13, 1934 2,073,905 Pond Mar. 16, 1937 2,156,977 From May 2, 1939 2,222,916 Schaa Nov. 26, 1940 2,369,850 Powers Feb. 20, 1945 2,442,095 Reed et al. May 25, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 801,644 France May 23, 1936 

